


don't you ever scare me like that again

by lovelybuckybarnes



Category: Merlin (TV), Merlin - Fandom
Genre: Fluff and Crack, Kissing, M/M, Merlin - Freeform, Slash, Swearing, and arthur knows that, but he doesnt know about merlins magic, flufffffy, ik this is short sorry, literally no angst, merlin is hurt and it scares the shit out of arthur, merlin's last name is emrys, they're just really cute and in love, trapped together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-04
Updated: 2014-09-04
Packaged: 2018-02-16 02:42:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2252904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelybuckybarnes/pseuds/lovelybuckybarnes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin and Arthur are best friends, who are totally obviously in love and this is a really bad summary of a pretty decent story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	don't you ever scare me like that again

**Author's Note:**

> My heart hurt while I wrote this. They're so cute, I just.

Arthur is running. He's running so hard that the cool air dries his throat, and burns his eyes. 

"Arthur!" He recalls Gaius banging on his door. "Arthur!" the old man had called again, an urgent tone to his voice. Worriedly, Arthur had swung the door open and been met with a panting Gaius. 

"What is it, Gauis?" he questioned. 

The answer he'd received had sent a chill through his bones. "Merlin is missing." 

So here Arthur is, his heart pounding in his ears and his chest constricting painfully. He's sprinting through the woods as quickly as he can. 

"Arthur!" He hears Merlin's agonized voice shouting his name for the second time. He turns following that pained voice until finally, he steps into a clearing in the trees where Merlin sits, his hands wrapped tightly around his calf, tears falling slowly down his face. 

Arthur runs and crouches by his friend's side. "Merlin, what's wrong?" he pants. 

"Cendred's men," Merlin pants, "they captured me, hurt me. I escaped while the guards were sleeping, but I think I'm going to bleed out," he jokes, even as blood pools in the grass beside his leg and soaks through his dark blue tunic. "When I heard you yelling my name, I started shouting as loud as I could. I'm quite lucky you're not deaf as well as dumb," he smirks as another tear rolls down his cheek. 

Arthur rolls his eyes dramatically. "Oh Merlin, do shut up. Now is not the time for your attitude." Merlin smiles, but flinches and gasps in pain when he makes a feeble attempt to stand. 

"Alright," Arthur states, "I'm going to have to carry you back to the horses, if that's alright."

Merlin grins and dramatically places his hands over his heart. "Oh Arthur, my hero," he sighs, reaching both hands up to wrap them around Arthur's neck as he's lifted into his arms, bridal style. "Shut up, Merlin," Arthur blushes. 

The walk back to the horses is short and Arthur barely breaks a sweat carrying Merlin. When they arrive back with the knights, Arthur insists that his friend sit in front of him on his horse, so that if he needs to stop he can inform Arthur immediately. Merlin flushes slightly when he climbs up between the Prince's arms and their faces are so close he can feel Arthur's warm breath on his face as the ride. 

It takes less than a day to make it back to Camelot and Merlin is immediately sent to Gaius for treatment of his wounds. Arthur tells Merlin that he must inform his father of his return, but that he will be back to check on him in a moment. Gaius smiles and nods in respect, as Arthur leaves the room and then turns his full attention toward Merlin. 

"What did Cendred want with you, anyway?" the old physician asks as he stitches the gash on Merlin's calf. 

"I think he knew that I have magic," Merlin whispers. "He teid to order me to make him an army of the dead that he could release upon Camelot. I, of course, refused so he threw me in a jail cell. His guards are lazy, though, and when they fell asleep I was able to escape with only a few cuts and bruises." 

"Extremely deep cuts, and very large bruises," Gaius adds, wearily. "Now, take off your shirt so I can tend to the wound on your chest." As Merlin gently pulls his blood-stained tunic over his head, Arthur walks in, flushing at the sight of Merlin's bare chest, bright red blood deeply contrasting to his very pale skin. 

Arthur's features turn to stone and a fiery anger lights behind his blue eyes. "What did they do to you?" he spits, his jaw clenched tightly as he walks over to stand  _extremely_ close to Merlin. His long fingers graze lightly over Merlin's white shoulder. "They'll pay for this," he whispers. He's quiet as he watches Gaius clean and suture the wound, flinching whenever Merlin flinched. When the physician finishes, he stands and gathers his things, walking swiftly out the door. 

Merlin sits directly across from Arthur, still shirtless, sweat glistening on his forehead. 

"Are you alright?" Arthur questions, fear tainting his voice. 

Merlin grins. "'Course I am. You're not getting rid of me that easily," he states leaning forward to lightly punch Arthur's arm, wincing slightly. 

"Ha. Ha." Arthur deadpans. "I'm serious, Merlin. I'm glad you're okay," their eyes are locked and serious for a moment before he adds, "It'd be hard to find another servant that's as idiotic and entertaining as you." They both grin. 

Arthur stands, and following the prince's lead, Merlin stands as well. "I'd best be going. I've got training to do," Arthur says curtly. Merlin's smile falters as he nods, his eyes going to the floor. Arthur steps totally into Merlin's personal space, wrapping his muscular arms around his tiny frame, squeezing tightly and whispering, "Don't ever scare me like that again, I need my heart to live you know," before he pulls away, presses his lips gently into Merlin's dark hair, and leaves the brunet wondering if that means that Arthur _needs_  him to live, or if it genuinely nearly gave Arthur a heart attack. Either way, it turns Merlin's cheeks beet red. 

 

_4 months later~_

Months pass, and Merlin fully recovers, going back to polishing Arthur's armor and making his bed. They never speak of Arthur's hug or his kiss or his words- they just carry on as if nothing had ever happened, Arthur pressing random kisses into Merlin's hair that they, again, never speak of. It drives Merlin up the wall.

Until, one day, they get trapped in the vaults under the castle. Together, they had been chasing a warlock who had cast a sleeping spell on Morgana, stating that she would remain in this death-like slumber until Uther surrendered Camelot unto him, and stepped down from the throne. Arthur, of course, had decided to chase after him, and Merlin, of course, had joined. Their chase had led them deep into the Camelot vaults where the warlock cast a spell that sent rock tumbling down, blocking the door in front of them. They tried for many minutes to remove the rubble by hand, Merlin unable to use his powers in front of Arthur, until they gave up, sitting side by side against the wall of the small room they were trapped in.

So that's where they are now, sitting close but not too close, against the wall of a cave.  

"My father will get us out of here," Arthur promises. "I assure you." 

Merlin laughs. "There's hundreds of pounds of rock outside that door. It could take days to move it all,  and we may die of thirst or starve to death by then." 

Arthur looks at him in disbelief. "Wow, Merlin. You sure know how to brighten a bad situations," Arthur chides sarcastically. 

"It's part of my charm," Merlin grins his most shit-eating grin and Arthur smiles, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to the skin behind Merlin's ear. 

Merlin's eyes grow wide. "You've got to stop fucking doing that," he frowns. "Why?" Arthur's eyes move to look at the floor instead of Merlin's face. 

"Because it's teasing, and it's rude. If you want to kiss me, you prat, then fucking do it already." 

Arthur smiles at the floor briefly before turning to Merlin, his face expressionless. "I most certainly will not," he states.

Merlin throws his arms high over his head, and sighs loudly. "Why the hell not?!" 

"Because, you've got a bad attitude," Arthur crosses his arms and lifts his chin, looking away from Merlin, a smile threatening to make itself known. 

He hears Merlin clear his throat before sliding closer and taking Arthur's hands in his. "Arthur Pendragon, will you  _please_ fucking kiss me so I _don'_  have to kill you." 

Arthur rolls his eyes, and coughs. "I suppose that'll have to do," he laughs, taking Merlin's face gently between his hands, fingers stroking those _highly_ _intoxicating_ cheekbones. He leans forward and presses his lips to Merlin's gently, just barely there. And when Merlin grabs him by the back of his neck and pulls him deeper into the kiss, Arthur has no protests. Their teeth and tongues clash unceremoniously and Arthur truly thinks that he may explode from the absolute joy this brings him. They kiss for minutes, maybe hours, only separating to kiss the other's neck or cheek, or regain their breath. By the end of it, they're both shirtless, sweating, and smiling. They lay on the hard floor of the vault, Merlin's head on Arthur's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. 

Arthur presses his face into Merlin's black hair, sighing. "You know this isn't allowed, right?" 

Merlin gasps a little, burying his face deeper into Arthur's sternum. "I know. But I don't want to stop," he whimpers. "I need you, dollophead." Though he's made a joke, he chokes slightly on the tears in his throat. 

"I don't either," Arthur breathes. "Which is why we're not going to. I need you just as much as you need me- probably more, in fact. So there's no way in hell I'm giving this up just because of some stupid rule. We'll just have to keep it quiet," he finishes, smiling. 

Merlin is absolutely beaming, throwing his arms around Arthur's middle, "Oh thank God," he sighs. They lay like that, occasionally pressing a kiss to one another's lips or hair or chest.

"Merlin Pendragon," Arthur mumbles, breaking the steady silence. 

"What was that?" Merlin asks. 

Arthur raises his voice slightly. "Merlin Pendragon- I quite like the sound of that," he smiles. 

Merlin rolls his eyes, his heart speeding up at the thought of marrying Arthur. "Oh please," he scoffs, "if anything it'd be Arthur Emrys." Arthur is shaking his head before Merlin even finishes talking. 

"No. I'm the prince, and you'd take my name. No if's, and's, or but's."

Merlin laughs. "As long as I'm married to you, I don't care what my name is," he concedes. 

Arthur casts a long look at Merlin through his thick lashes. "I love you, Merlin," he states, his voice muffled slightly by Merlin's hair. 

Merlin tilts his head and presses a firm kiss to Arthur's already swollen lips. "I love you too, you giant prat," he grins. A voice pulls the two from their little fantasy. 

"Prince Arthur?" They recognize the voice as Sir Leon's, and quickly pull their shirts on, scrambling to their feet.  "We're here!" Arthur calls, and a stone falls out of place, revealing the Knights of Camelot, moving rocks both large and small, out of the way of the door. It takes another hour of throwing rocks, and crawling through holes, but Arthur and Merlin emerge from the rubble unscathed. 

Arthur makes his way quickly to the throne room, ordering Merlin to wait for him in his bedroom. He says thank you to his father for saving his and Merlin's lives, bids him goodnight, and smiles before making his way quickly back to his bedroom where he finds Merlin sitting on the edge of his bed. He doesn't say a single word, just walks over to Merlin, pushes him gently back on the bed by his shoulders and kisses him until both of their heads are spinning. The next morning when he wakes with his body curled around Merlin's, warm down to the bones, he decides he never wants to sleep alone again. 

So, he never does.


End file.
